In his homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis explained that a person cannot seek privileges when preaching the Gospel. The Pope cited John the Baptist as an example of a person who chose humility, over prophecy.

 

Pope’s Mass: do not take advantage of being a Christian, as if it were a privilege

In his homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis explained that a person cannot seek privileges when preaching the Gospel. The Pope cited John the Baptist as an example of a person who chose humility, over prophecy.
 
POPE FRANCIS
“It would be good for all of us to ask ourselves about our roles as disciples: ‘Do we proclaim Jesus Christ? Do we take advantage or not about our conditions as Christians, as if it were a privilege?’ John never seized the prophecy.”
 
Pope Francis also explained that the joy of being close to Jesus transformed John into a disciple. He asked Catholics to always be open to a possible encounter with Christ.
 
 
SUMMARY OF THE POPE’S CATECHESIS
Source: Vatican Radio
 
Pope Francis during his Homily at Mass on Friday at the Casa Santa Martha said that as Christians we are called to proclaim the Gospel with humility.
 
Taking his cue from Friday’s Gospel which recounts the tragic death of John the Baptist, the Pope said John was the man God had sent to prepare the way for his son. He, Pope Francis continued, was a man in the court of Herod, filled with corruption and vices who urged everyone to convert.
 
The Holy Father recalled how this great Saint firstly, proclaimed Jesus Christ. John had the chance to say he was the Messiah, added the Pope, but he did not. Secondly, said Pope Francis John the Baptist was “a man of Truth.” The third thing John did, underlined the Holy Father was to imitate Jesus in his humility, in his suffering and humiliation.
 
The Pope also stressed that like other religious figures such as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, John the Baptist had dark moments, moments of anguish and doubt sending his disciples to ask Jesus : ‘ But tell me, is it you, or am I wrong and there is another?’
 
Pope Francis explained that John the “icon of a disciple” because he is “the man who proclaims Jesus Christ… and follows the way of Jesus Christ.”
 
Concluding his homily the Holy Father said we should not take advantage of our condition as Christians, as if it were a privilege. Instead we are called proclaim the Gospel message with humility without seizing on the prophecy.